Grizzlies 101, Bulls 91
Marc Gasol scored 23 points to help visiting Memphis outlast Chicago.
Jeff Green scored 19 points and Zach Randolph 16 for the Grizzlies, who have a two-game lead on Houston in the race for second in the Western Conference. Tony Allen had 11 points off the bench while Mike Conley had nine points, nine assists and five steals for Memphis.
Tony Snell scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half for the Bulls, who matched a season high with their third straight loss. Nikola Mirotic chipped in 18 points off the bench and Pau Gasol had 13 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago fell back into a tie with Toronto for third place in the East.
There were eight lead changes and six ties in a tight first half and Pau Gasol's dunk in the final minute got Chicago within 41-39 at the break. Randolph had a pair of baskets and Green buried a 3-pointer during a 9-0 burst early in the third and Memphis carried a 73-65 lead into the final period.
The Grizzlies scored the first five points of the fourth to open up a 13-point advantage before Snell scored 11 points in less than three minutes to push the Bulls in front 88-84 midway through the stanza. Memphis responded with a decisive 11-0 surge - including a 3-pointer by Green - to go back up by seven and Conley and Green combined to make four straight free throws before Allen's dunk in the final minute sealed it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Bulls G Derrick Rose, who is recovering from knee surgery, spoke to reporters Monday for the first time since the procedure and said there is a "good chance" he returns during the regular season. ... Snell's fourth-quarter surge came amid a stretch that saw Chicago make nine straight shots. ... Pau Gasol tied a career high with his 43rd double-double, first set in 2010-11 with the Los Angeles Lakers.